The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-15
we have no aristocrats in

/ I'm not so sure oil tnat, Lucy. Dut
wait until i tell you more about my
wife that is to be. You hit the nail on
the head in the beginning of your SEN
tence. am really going to marry tho
daughter of washerwoman.
Lucy grew suddenly white. trou-
bled look came into her frank eyes.
"You don't mean to say that it is the
little girl whom gavo Mrs. O'Conner
permission to bring to my house, that
has worked this mischief"
ut is indeed Norah O'Conner, poor
in this worlds gear as she Is rich in q
woman's peerless loneliness. But ]
reckoned without my host in thinking
you superior to the traditions OF society.
/ might have expected that even you
would he cold and scornful."
"No, Howe, am neither the one nor
the other. / am, however, truly
grieved at your infatuation. viii you
kindly say no more about it now and
drive me home?"
Lucy's sudden dignity angered Howe,
and with an simpatient exclamation, he
devoted himself to the care of the spir
tied animal he was driving.
At her own door Lucy put out her
hand. Whatever happens, Howe your
cousin Lucy will be your friend. But
do not tax mo beyond womans power
of endurance. II you are in earn
est in what you have said, | advise
YOU to think well of it and do moth
ing for which you will be sorry for in
the future"
"Your disapprobation has given me
the greatest pain that | expect to exper-
fence, Lucy. But it has not altered my
mind worship the very ground my
darlings feet have touched"
II only wish you may always feel so,
Howe" was Lucy's rejoinder; "for
marriage out of ones station seldom
confers lasting happiness. "
The marriage took place, but Lucy
did not attend it. Howe t-ok his bride
away for the wedding tour, and, finding
so much enjoyment where, as no one
knew anything about Norah's anteced-
ents she could not be exposed to sights,
and all did homage to her beauty and
grace, their stay was prolonged indefin-
itely.
Lucy had never seen Norah, as her
old housekeeper had returned to her
place the week previous to her own ar
rival at home, and she had declined
Howe's proposal to bring his fiancee to
the house to introduce her.
A few months after, she received a
note from him, accompanied by sealed
package.
DEAR Cousin Lucy" wrote Howe
flor so ! shall always call you, al
though Won have crossed me oil your
good books-I herewith send tangible
excuse for what you consider my folly.
Look upon the pictured face-which
does not do full justice to the original
and acknowledge that you have for
once been harsh judge. assure you
it is the index of fine nature, which is
daily developing into luxuriant
growth of goodness, and whose posses
sor is one Of earth's most gifted souls in
more ways than mere personal beau
ty. If you should conclude tc
come abroad / hope you will
let 'bygones be bogones,' and come
and Join us. COUSIN HOWE"
"The glamour still lasts" thought
Lucy, as she removed the wrapping
paper from the picture.
But she wondered no longer when at
last her eyes rested upon it.
1t was taken in what was evidently
bridal dress, for orange blossoms were
fastened in the soft lace which floated
in transparent folds around the exquis-
lite face and form.
1t was not rich costume, but its
simplicity rendered it the more evident
that its wearer needed no glimmer OF
silk or satin b add to her queenship
in the ranks of womanly beauty.
AS Lucy noticed the absence of rich
accessories in Norah's dress she re-
called some words spoken by Howe
which had brought at the time scorn'
full smile to her lips.
"Norah is stubborn about one thing,
Lucy" he said "She Will not accept
a gift of me unless il be of flowers. /
would like to buy her something costly
and unique for her bridal robe, but she
will not let me. l tell her it is all
nonsense, when she will so soon own
me, and all of my worldly goods into
the bargain"
These words arose and floated through
Lucy's mind now, as though to
prove that the fair, patrician looking
face before her was conscious of a
heaven born right to hold as proudly to
her ideas of right and propriety as any
lady in the land.
IL do not wonder at Howe's hulluci-
nation after seeing picture of his wife, !"
she said, few hours later to an intimate
friend "If she is as beautiful as she is